Conventional Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Media

Surface and Microstructure Analysis of CoCrPt Film on RuCoCrX (X = Ti, Re) Intermediate Layers

“…The CoCrPt (oxides) perpendicular magnetic anisotropy thin films have been applied in current perpendicular magnetic recording media for long periods of time but are still required to improve the properties in the near future [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Although ordered L1 0 -FePt with higher perpendicular anisotropy has been promised for future ultra-high density heat-assisted magnetic recording media [15][16][17], improvements of the intermediate-, exchange coupling-and capping-layer are needed to optimize the magnetic properties and microstructure of CoCrPt-oxide granular films for next-generation devices.…”

“…Intergranular exchange decoupling in CoCrPt-based granular media is required to reduce the noise in media and to increase the SNR (signal to noise ratio) which is one of the essential issues for further increase of the area density [8]. The high and low melting amorphous oxides which do not dissolve in CoCrPt lattice have been utilized to segregate to the grain boundary area in granular media [8]. To further separate the CoCrPt grains in the initial growth stage, thinner nonmagnetic RuCoCr(Ti, Re)-oxide layer was deposited on the bump and trench of high-pressure Ru seed layer [8].…”

“…The high and low melting amorphous oxides which do not dissolve in CoCrPt lattice have been utilized to segregate to the grain boundary area in granular media [8]. To further separate the CoCrPt grains in the initial growth stage, thinner nonmagnetic RuCoCr(Ti, Re)-oxide layer was deposited on the bump and trench of high-pressure Ru seed layer [8]. The grains separation and grain boundary thickness were clearly influenced by the kind and volume of oxides-materials.…”